[Jared Russell]

Every time I feel compelled to complain about the size of the kit of parts now versus in the past, I remember that the incredible growth in the quality, diversity, affordability, and availability of FRC-specific COTS items over the past decade (and general loosening of allowed COTS parts rules) means we are getting a MUCH better deal now than at any other point in FRC history.

Think about it:

15 years ago, the registration fee (for a single regional, where you were probably getting 7-10 matches) was still $5000. Adjusted for inflation, that's $6900 today. In 2005, it was raised to $6000, or $7300 today. In the past, you got a slightly larger kit (although no kitbot until...2005?), but there was no AndyMark or VexPro. There were heavy restrictions on what you could use outside of the kit.

Today we pay ~$2000 less for the same registration (which is also going to tend to be for a closer event with more matches than in the past) and have FIRST Choice. Yes, you might not end up with your preferred parts. Yes, you haul less stuff home from kickoff. But compared to the past, a $2000 voucher for the 2015 version of AndyMark + Vex is BY FAR the best deal we've EVER gotten.